Myra–Bellevue Park

A 158-acre private land inholding within Myra–Bellevue Park has been permanently protected, strengthening an important wildlife corridor in the Okanagan and helping safeguard the ecological integrity of the park.

Myra–Bellevue Park is used year-round by people seeking connection to nature, whether hiking, cycling, horseback riding, wildlife watching, or simply spending time outdoors close to home. During the pandemic, use of the park surged as people turned to nearby nature for relief, reflection, and wellbeing, and that connection has only continued to grow.

The land was stewarded for nearly three decades by the Bauer family, who immigrated to Canada from Germany in the early 1980s. For Karin Bauer and her family, the property, affectionately known as “the Alm”—short for Almhütte, the German word for “mountain hut”—was a place of gathering, wildlife watching, and quiet time together in nature.

The forested property—home to streams, wetlands, and ponds—escaped the devastating 2003 Okanagan Mountain wildfire, leaving it as an intact refuge for wildlife in a region still recovering from fire. The land supports abundant species including deer, elk, moose, bear, cougar, and lynx, and provides critical habitat for the American badger, a species at risk.

The acquisition reinforces long-standing conservation efforts in the Kelowna South Slopes and helps connect protected lands across the region, while also supporting a park that is deeply woven into daily life in the Okanagan.

“This property has always been incredibly valuable from a conservation perspective,” says Rick Ellery of Friends of the South Slopes. “It wasn’t affected by the 2003 fire, it sits beside a major conservation corridor through the Okanagan, and it protects habitat that large mammals depend on. Opportunities like this don’t come up often, and when they do, it’s important to act.”

“Conserving land like this is about protecting what people and wildlife rely on every day,” says Andy Day, CEO of BC Parks Foundation. “It’s about making sure no puzzle piece is missing so the full picture of the park can be whole and enjoyed over time. As always, I am very grateful to our local partners and all our supporters, including the Wilson 5 Foundation and Cynthia and Paul Rodgers, for their support.”

Support also came from Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Nature Smart Climate Solutions Fund, with the combined effort of all partners helping make this project possible.